Caroline Gregson’s workshops on the Surgical Ward at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital were designed to help children and their families try weaving with willow rods by hand to create their own artworks, which they could then take home. Workshops took place in the play area on the ward and at bedsides, and were supported by staff and play specialists at Alder Hey.
Caroline also led a collaborative project over the 8-week residency, which encouraged children, family members and hospital staff to contribute to weaving a fox made from layers of willow. At the end of the residency the form of the fox had developed over the weeks to become a life sized work of art which children could feel they’d had a hand in creating.
Caroline prepared willow for each session, including some coloured willow which had been dyed, allowing people to include colour in their designs which proved very popular and encouraged the children to make their own decisions. She also provided prototypes of a range of shapes such as a star, heart, fish, giraffe, butterfly, snake and boat so the children could see what a final piece would look like and develop different ideas. Caroline started the form for them, demonstrating how to create outlines and then to build up layers of willow.
One week of the residency coincided with Halloween, which meant children enjoyed experimenting with themed shapes such as a witch’s hat, spiders and Egyptian mummies. Later in the residency Caroline focussed patients on Christmas-themed forms such as reindeer and fir trees.
Parents encouraged their children; some parents were so intrigued by the process they asked Caroline where they could buy willow. If siblings were present they also tried their hand at willow weaving and assisted their brother or sister in making their works. This made for great social interaction, allowing for a positive situation for families who were going through a difficult time.
“I love it, exactly what I wanted.”
– Participant
“This is so worth doing, it’s a great distraction and they learn a new skill.”
– Parent of participant
“We’ve never had anything like this before. Its completely different. They have something to take home at the end, its fabulous.”
– Play Specialist, Alder Hey
Caroline’s legacy artwork was inspired by her workshop sessions with patients and their families, including an overheard conversation about beekeeping. ‘The Apiary’ features two beekeepers – an adult and a child – and a cloud of honey bees, and is made from woven willow mounted on steel. It was installed in a courtyard at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in March 2018.
‘The Apiary’ by Caroline Gregson (2018)
“The idea for the artwork came from the fun we had on the ward, weaving willow into all sorts of crazy animal shapes, and an over-heard conversation about the possibility of keeping bees in the grounds of the hospital. I keep bees myself and have a fascination for these incredible little creatures.
Honey bees work together to build their colony. They have nurse bees to look after their young, they have cleaner bees who keep the hive tidy, guard bees who watch the entrance to make sure the colony is safe, and of course forager bees who collect nectar and pollen from flowers to make honey for food. They all need each other to survive.
The art of beekeeping has been passed from mentor to pupil throughout history. These beekeepers are carrying out their weekly inspection to check the health of the colony, looking for signs of disease or hunger so they can help if needed. The child is holding one of the frames from the hive where the young bees are hatched.”
– Caroline Gregson